Free and fair elections in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean elections are well known to be marred with violence, intimidation, coercion, blackmail and bribes. The run up to elections are often worse, an example is the 2008 elections where many of the members of the largest opposition party (Movement For Democratic Change -MDC) were killed, tortured, beaten and intimidated.The state security agents (army, CIO and police) were used to brutalise citizens to force them to vote for ZANU PF. This lead to the president of MDC Morgan Tsvangirai to pull out of the second round for presidency, even though his party had won the first round of elections.

At present ZANU PF has blackmailed the chiefs giving them cars worth US$45 000 , they have also been given food, farming seeds and fertilizer to distribute to those who are ZANU PF loyals not by choice but drawn out by poverty and also made to single out those who do not support ZANU PF. All of this is being funded by tax payers money drive ZANU PF agenda.

Nepotism is rife within ZANU PF and security services with a lot of people involved in the "coup" being given political positions of power and influence. Sibusiso Moyo who is now Foreign Affairs Minister and the one who announced the "coup" on state television, along with his wife who is a High Court Judge has been appointed by the President to be in charge of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. ZEC should be apolitical and independent of external political influence.

Due to the polical instability in Zimbabwe families have been separated..Zimbabweans should have freedom to express their views without fear of reprisals and should be able to vote for who they want to lead them.

Zimbabweans need international monitoring not just from SADC but from the wider international community. These monitors should be available to Zimbabweans not just during elections but months before the run up to elections, to ensure FREE, FAIR and CREDIBLE results.

If they are to be free,fair and credible elections, then diaspora should have the right to vote. If those on diplomatic missions and the army are able to vote where ever they are posted. It means that they are processes that exist which can be extended to general Zimbabwean in the diaspora.